Today’s Editorial: A jewel by the sea

The long-awaited Dart Family Park opened in George Town Saturday with more than 1,200 people coming out to witness the occasion.

Originally scheduled to open in October, Hurricane Ivan forced a six-month delay.

Although some of the original trees growing on the oceanfront property were destroyed in the Hurricane, anyone who visited the park Saturday can see that it makes little difference in the splendour of the site.

In a word, the park is magnificent.

With a scarcity of public open space in Cayman, especially near George Town, residents should rejoice in having such a jewel of a park to which they can go.

The park will undoubtedly be a favourite with children, who can enjoy the playground equipment after school, on weekends and holidays, and for special events like birthdays and picnics.

But the park should also become a popular place for adults, who can come there for lunch, for watching sunsets, or for a reflective stroll through the lushly landscaped property.

Places such as all four – and soon to be five -Growing Communities parks can, as Leader of Government Business McKeeva Bush said Saturday, make a profound contribution to the betterment of the quality of life for residents of Grand Cayman.

For these wonderful parks, the Cayman Islands owe the Dart Foundation much gratitude.

The commitment the Dart Group has shown to the Cayman Islands, especially in the aftermath of Hurricane Ivan, is something that should not go unnoticed.

Rather than just a transient donation, these parks have the capabilities of creating memories and improving our lives for years and years to come.

In this time of political campaigning, when Dr. Frank could have used the opportunity to further his own purposes, he appropriately recognised instead these splendid contributions the Dart Foundation has made to the country.